Technological innovations and a greater understanding of golf swing dynamics have allowed golf club manufacturers to provide a significant level of customization to match golf clubs to a particular golfer according to the golfer's height and preferred stance. Various golf club design parameters may be customized, such as an adjustment of the angular relationship of the golf club head with respect to the shaft and the ground. Such a customization is useful, for example, because when two golfers with dissimilar heights address a golf ball using the same club, the angle formed by the shaft of the club with respect to the ground will invariably be different for each golfer. Similarly, depending on the golfer's stance and playing characteristics, the angle formed by the club face of the golf club will also vary among golfers. Thus, to improve a golfer's performance with a particular club, these are two parameters of the club regarding the relative position of the golf club head to the shaft that are often customized to fit the golfer.
Referring now to FIG. 1, a pair of lines 20, 22 represent the plane of the ground. The first example stated above concerns the golf club's lie angle, which is defined as the angle, α, formed between a center line 24 extending through the shaft with the ground line 20 as shown tangent to the sole at the centerline of the club face. To accurately obtained the lie angle α of the golf club, the sole of the club head should be resting at the point just below the center of the club face. Proper lie angle is important to ensure that the golf club makes a square contact with the ball during the execution of a swing. For example, if the lie is less than ideal, the sole of the golf club will most likely be upwardly angled when the club head impacts the ball. As a result, the face of the club head will be aimed to the left of the medial line of the fairway, resulting in a left-of-center flight path. On the other hand, if the lie is greater than ideal, the club's sole will likely be downwardly angled at the point of impact and the opposite effect will be obtained.
The other parameter of the golf club head relative to the shaft is the loft angle, shown as β in FIG. 1. The loft angle β is generally defined as the angle of the backward slant of the face of a golf club head. More particularly, the loft angle β is the angle formed by a line 26 perpendicular to the club face to the ground line 22. The greater the loft angle, the greater the loft of ball after being struck by the golf club.
The measurements of the loft angle, for example, may not be indicative of the performance of the club when used by a particular golfer because the physiological and swing characteristics of the golfer can effect the resultant flight of the ball. Accordingly, in providing a more customized set of clubs for a particular golfer, the loft angle is often personalized to meet the particular physical traits and abilities of the individual golfer.
Moreover, as golfers rely on a golf club having a particular loft and lie angle to perform in a particular fashion, any variation based on use or manufacturing tolerance may be quite undesirable, especially for golfers playing at the professional level. Thus, minor adjustments to the loft and lie are often made to the golf clubs used by professional golfers. Such adjustments are typically required at tournaments, on tour, or at various locations remote from manufacturers. Accordingly, there is a need for a golf club adjustment device that is compact and transportable, while easy to use.
In addition, due to the mass production of golf clubs, fine tuning of each golf club by adjusting the loft and lie of the club is often desirable before the clubs are ready for shipment. Thus, manufacturers often make final adjusts to the loft and lie of the clubs after assembly of the club. Such an operation is highly labor intensive and there is a need for a device that permits adjustments to be made quickly and simply.
Finally, technological innovations have allowed manufacturers to produce golf clubs having various configurations that are designed to meet different performance criteria. Thus, there is a need for a device for measuring and adjusting the loft and lie of a golf club should be configured and adaptable to receive and securely hold golf clubs having varied club head configurations.